Solar power is becoming an increasingly popular energy alternative in view of its environmentally friendly nature. Also, in many southern climates, it is a very practical source of energy. As a result, many variations of solar collectors have been proposed including solar collecting structures for placement on the roofs of buildings that are exposed to sunlight on a frequent basis.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,590,495 and 5,830,779 to Bressler et al. disclose a photovoltaic module that serves as a shingle, tile of other building material for placement onto the exterior of a structure. The photovoltaic module generates a voltage when exposed to light and thus, may serve as a source of power for the building on which the photovoltaic module is laid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,498,289 to Mori et al. discloses a solar battery module and roofing material incorporating the same. The solar battery module includes a photovoltaic element fixed to a reinforcing sheet. A plurality of junction boxes for drawing power out of the photovoltaic element are provided on an anti-light-receiving side of the reinforcing sheet. First spacer members having a height higher than the junction boxes are placed along two opposite sides of the reinforcing sheet and a second spacer member is placed between the junction boxes. When the solar battery module is applied to a roof, the first spacer members define a space between the roof surface and the reinforcing sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,200 to Jester et al. discloses a solar module comprising a solar cell string laminated between layers of pottant or encapsulant material and a transparent superstrate and a steel substrate. The steel substrate is roll-formed to provide stiffening flanges on its edges while forming a pan substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,939 to Nath et al. discloses a photovoltaic roof and method of making the same. The roof includes panels, each having a galvanized steel-supporting layer with side supporting flanges interconnected to form a roof assembly. The mid-portion of each panel has a photovoltaic surface made formed of amorphous semiconductor material which is laminated onto the galvanized steel supporting layer with a protective plastic transparent polymer coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,518 to Nath et al. discloses a photovoltaic roof system including a plurality of roof panels each having a photovoltaic device thereupon and each including an electrical connector engageable with a connector on an adjacent roof panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,287 to Nath discloses a photovoltaic building structure including a number of interlockable building panels having photovoltaic generator devices supported thereupon. The photovoltaic generator devices may be attached to the building panels by a vacuum lamination process.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,553,729 to Nath et al. discloses a self-adhesive photovoltaic building material. The photovoltaic building material includes a substrate having one or more photovoltaic generating devices encapsulated thereon. The substrate includes a body of contact adhesive material allowing the photovoltaic building material to be readily installed on a roof, wall or other building structure.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,735 and 5,575,861 to Younan et al. disclose a photovoltaic roof shingle including a strip of roofing material having an overlap portion and a plurality of tab portions extending therefrom. Each of the tab portions has a photovoltaic generating device affixed thereto. The photovoltaic generating devices are interconnected. The roof shingles are affixed to a roof so that the tab portions of one row of roof shingles cover the overlap portion of an adjoining row of roof shingles.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,914 to Guha discloses a photovoltaic roofing system including photovoltaic power generating roofing shingles that provide for linearly aligned electrical terminals when installed.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0112419 to Dorr et al. discloses a sheet metal panel having two cover sheets and an intermediate layer of thermal insulating material. A plane photovoltaic element is applied to one of the cover sheets.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,708 to Anderson discloses a roofing system including first and second pluralities of shingles having planar central portions. Shingles of each plurality are arranged such that their respective central planar portions are substantially coplanar. Each shingle of the first plurality is adjacent at least one shingle of the second plurality with its central planar portion being displaced with respect to the central planar portion of the adjacent shingle of the second plurality. The shingles may be used in a ventilated roofing system.
Although the above-references disclose roof structures and shingles incorporating photovoltaic devices, to-date such structures have, for the most part, lacked any aesthetic appeal. In residential areas where the surfaces of roof structures are clearly visible, this unsightliness is undesirable and can be problematic.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel solar panel overlay and solar panel overlay assembly.